e-Newsletter of Moravian College and Moravian Theological Seminary | March 22, 2013

Play 4Kay sets new fundraising record

The Moravian College Women's Basketball team recently hosted its annual Play 4Kay Day. In order to top last year's fundraising total of $12,025, the Greyhounds organized a week's worth of events to raise money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. At the end of the week, the team had shattered last year's mark, raising $16,210.

To start the week, Mary Beth Spirk, head coach, Sara Steinman, assistant coach and several players traveled to Springfield, N.J., for the second annual Pink Zone basketball clinic. The Springfield Basketball Association, directed by Lawrence Dvorchik and Glenn Wohl, along with the Springfield Pink Zone committee and Jonathan Dayton High School basketball teams, partnered with the Moravian Women's Basketball team to host a clinic for more than 120 youth players, and run by 30 volunteers. $3,000 was raised to be donated to breast cancer research.

The team also hosted their second annual Pink Zone clinic at Moravian on February 6, with more than 60 youth basketball players in attendance.

Throughout the week, several events took place on campus at Moravian to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research. With the help of Human Resources Director Jon Conrad, the college organized a "pink office week.” For $5 per day, staff members were encouraged to wear pink shirts and jeans all week. The "pie in the face" penny wars saw its most fierce competition in a few years with professors as the targets. Stacey Zaremba, professor of psychology, Nathan Shank, professor of mathematics and Katie Desiderio, professor of business and economics, raised the most money and were chosen as the lucky "winners" to receive a pie in the face at halftime of the Play 4Kay game.

Other events included pink manicures, an intramural tournament, and a guest bartending event for the coaching staff at Apollo Grill in Bethlehem. Through raffles and tips more than $800 was raised that night.

The Play 4Kay Day was also a success. The record crowd of more than 1,000 fans witnessed the Greyhounds trounce Susquehanna University, 68-51. At the game, fans contributed to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund by purchasing pink merchandise, raffle tickets, and entering in halftime contests. A Kindle Fire was the grand prize in the annual Toss for the Tatas halftime contest. Following the game, the team, along with family, friends, and alumni, shared an evening together at Roosevelt's for the Play 4Kay reception.

To wrap up a fantastic week of events, Moravian hosted a high school showdown between Freedom and Selinsgrove high schools. The teams sported pink socks and T-shirts in support of the breast cancer awareness initiative. Prizes were raffled off to raise money throughout the day. The team was thrilled with the dollar amount raised, but also with the awareness created around the campus and beyond.